~ Chapter 31 ~
Eva
The thing about insecurity is that once it gets a voice, it doesn't shut up.
Even when everything is technically fine.
Even when Reed had held her hands in the middle of the gym and told her he wanted her.
Even when he had kissed her forehead before going back to practice.
Even when Sandra, Parker, and Cassie had basically threatened bodily harm to anyone who made her feel small.
The voice still lingered.
It whispered late at night.
It whispered when she was alone.
It whispered when Reed didn't text back right away.
Which was exactly what was happening now.
Eva sat cross-legged on her bed, phone in her hands, staring at their last message.
Eva: How did practice go?
Sent.
Delivered.
No reply.
It had been forty minutes.
Forty very long minutes.
Her rational brain knew a hundred logical explanations.
He could still be in the locker room.
He could be showering.
He could be in a meeting with Coach.
He could be driving.
Her irrational brain, however, was loud as hell.
He's bored of you.
He realized he could do better.
He met someone prettier.
He's pulling away.
Eva locked her phone and tossed it onto the bed like it had personally offended her.
Sandra, who was painting her nails on Eva's floor, glanced up. "You're spiraling."
"I'm not," Eva lied.
Parker, sitting on Eva's desk chair doing homework, didn't even look up. "You sighed like someone just broke up with you in a tragic rom-com."
Eva hugged her knees to her chest.
"I just feel stupid," she admitted quietly.
Cassie, on FaceTime from her bed, frowned. "Did something actually happen or did your brain create a disaster?"
Eva swallowed.
"He hasn't texted back."
Sandra squinted. "How long?"
Eva checked the time.
"Forty-three minutes."
Sandra blinked.
"Eva."
"I know," Eva said quickly. "I know that sounds insane. I just... I keep thinking about that girl at practice. And the stuff I overheard. And I know Reed told me he wants me, but what if he wakes up one day and realizes I'm not what he imagined?"
Parker softened.
"Baby, you are not an impulse purchase," she said gently. "You're not something someone accidentally picks and then regrets."
Eva's eyes burned.
"What if I care more than he does?"
Cassie shook her head. "Reed looks at you like he's already gone. Ryan clocks it every time we're all together."
Eva sniffed. "I just don't want to be the one who gets hurt."
Sandra scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her.
"Being in love always comes with risk," she said. "But Reed hasn't given you a single reason to doubt him."
Eva nodded.
Logically.
Emotionally?
Still a mess.
Her phone buzzed.
Eva's heart jumped into her throat.
Reed: Sorry. Coach kept us late. You okay?
She stared at the screen.
Instead of relief, something sharp twisted in her chest.
Why didn't he say he missed her?
Why didn't he sound excited?
Why did it feel... neutral?
Her thumbs hovered.
Eva: Yeah. I'm fine.
She immediately regretted it.
Reed: Just fine?
Eva stared.
Her chest felt tight.
She didn't know how to explain what she was feeling without sounding dramatic.
So she did what insecure people sometimes do.
She shut down.
Eva: I'm just tired.
Reed: Did I do something?
Eva swallowed hard.
Eva: No.
Lie.
A quiet one.
But still a lie.
Reed: Okay.
That single word felt heavier than it should have.
Eva locked her phone again.
Her eyes filled despite her best effort.
Sandra noticed immediately.
"Oh no," she said. "Come here."
Eva broke.
Not sobbing.
Not hysterical.
Just quiet tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I don't know why I'm like this," Eva whispered. "I hate that I overthink everything."
Parker knelt in front of her. "You're like this because you care. That's not a flaw."
Cassie nodded. "But you also have to let him show up for you."
Eva wiped her cheeks.
"What if he doesn't want to deal with someone this emotional?"
Sandra tilted her head. "Then he's not your person. But I don't think that's Reed."
Eva wasn't convinced.
Not yet.
--
Reed
Reed knew something was wrong.
Not because Eva had said anything dramatic.
Not because she'd accused him or snapped or gone cold in an obvious way.
It was worse than that.
She went small.
Short replies.
No warmth.
No soft extra words.
No little heart emoji she sometimes used when she felt brave.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"I'm just tired."
Eva didn't talk like that when she was actually fine.
Reed sat on the edge of his bed, phone in his hands, staring at the screen like it might explain something if he looked hard enough.
He typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Reed: You feel far away.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Nothing came.
That sinking feeling in his chest spread slowly, heavy and uncomfortable.
Had he said something wrong?
Done something wrong?
Missed something?
He replayed the last few days in his head.
The gym.
Her in his hoodie.
Her leaning into him.
Her smiling at him like he was safe.
Nothing about it felt fake.
Nothing about it felt temporary.
So why did it suddenly feel like she was slipping through his fingers?
The door to his bedroom creaked open.
Ryan leaned against the frame, towel slung over his shoulder.
"You've been staring at your phone like it personally betrayed you."
Reed didn't look up. "Shut up."
Vinod appeared behind Ryan, peering over his shoulder.
"Is this about Eva?"
Reed exhaled slowly.
"Yeah."
Felix wandered in, holding a protein bar.
"What happened?"
"I don't know," Reed said honestly. "She says she's fine. She's not fine."
Ryan's expression shifted, losing the teasing edge. "Did you do something dumb?"
"No."
"Did you not do something important?" Felix countered.
Reed rubbed a hand over his face.
"I don't think so."
Vinod crossed his arms. "Talk me through it."
Reed hesitated, then said, "She keeps saying she's scared she'll care more than I do."
Ryan's brows furrowed. "That's not about you."
Reed looked up.
"That's about her not feeling safe yet," Ryan continued. "That's insecurity talking."
Felix nodded. "Which means she actually cares a lot."
That twisted something in Reed's chest.
Ryan sat on the edge of the bed. "What do you want?"
Reed didn't hesitate.
"I want her to know I'm not going anywhere."
"Then go tell her," Ryan said simply.
Reed stared at his phone.
Reed: Can I come over?
Seconds felt like hours.
Then—
Eva: Okay.
Reed stood so fast his chair almost tipped over.
Vinod smirked. "Attaboy."
Felix tossed him his hoodie. "Take this. You look like you're about to have a feelings moment."
Reed caught it.
Ryan pointed at him. "Don't raise your voice. Don't get defensive. Listen more than you talk."
Reed nodded.
"I'm not losing her," Reed said quietly.
Ryan's voice softened. "Then don't."
Reed was already halfway out the door.
----
Eva barely had time to process before there was a knock.
Not loud.
Not demanding.
Just firm enough to say: I'm here.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
She opened the door.
Reed stood there, hoodie on, hair still slightly damp, eyes intense in a way that made her chest ache.
"I'm not mad," he said immediately.
That did it.
Eva's face crumpled.
"I know," she whispered.
Reed stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
The air felt thick.
Charged.
Heavy with everything they hadn't said.
"I don't like when you shut me out," Reed said quietly. "It scares me."
Eva swallowed hard.
"I don't mean to."
"Then tell me what's going on."
She hugged herself.
"I keep thinking you're going to wake up one day and realize I'm not what you want."
Reed's jaw tightened.
"Look at me," he said.
Eva hesitated.
Reed stepped closer and gently took her wrists, lowering her arms.
"Look at me."
She did.
Tears spilled immediately.
"I don't want someone better," Reed said. "I don't want someone easier. I don't want someone louder or hotter or more impressive."
His voice shook slightly.
"I want you. Exactly as you are. I wake up thinking about you. I go to sleep thinking about you. I plan my day around when I might see you."
Eva's breath stuttered.
"You don't get to decide how much I care," Reed continued. "That's my choice. And I'm choosing you."
Eva broke.
Not quietly.
Not gracefully.
She stepped into him and buried her face in his chest.
Reed wrapped his arms around her instantly, holding her like he was afraid she might disappear.
"I'm scared," Eva admitted into his hoodie.
"I know," Reed murmured. "You don't have to be brave with me."
Her fingers fisted in his shirt.
"I don't want to push you away."
"Then don't," Reed said. "Let me stay."
Eva nodded against him.
Reed tilted her chin up gently.
"You don't have to earn me," he said. "You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to compete with anyone. You're already mine."
Eva's eyes widened slightly.
Reed didn't take it back.
"I'm not going anywhere," he added. "Not tomorrow. Not when things get hard. Not when you're in your head. Not when you cry. Not when you're annoying. Not when you're quiet. I'm here."
Eva let out a shaky laugh through tears.
"I can be very annoying."
Reed's mouth twitched. "I know. I still want you."
Eva leaned up and pressed her forehead to his.
"I'm choosing you," she whispered.
Reed closed his eyes.
"Good. Because I already chose you."
They stood there for a long time.
Breathing together.
Holding each other.
Not because everything was fixed.
But because they both decided it was worth fixing.